By Humberto Viera
Apr 29, 2024, 2:46 PM EDT
The life-size statue of footballer Daniel Alves, erected in his hometown of Juazeiro as a tribute to one of his most illustrious sons, has been removed after a long controversy and citizen protests. The decision comes after the player was convicted in Spain of sexual assault.
The authorities of Juazeiro, a city of about 220,000 inhabitants in the state of Bahia, heeded a recommendation from the Public Ministry and “complied with current laws” by removing the monument this Monday.
According to EFE, the statue, located in a public square, had been the subject of vandalism and protests by social movements and feminist groups that questioned the celebration of an individual convicted of such a serious crime.
The Public Ministry argued that the statue violated municipal and state legislation, since both prohibit tributes to living people with public funds. Activist Manuella Tyler, who filed a complaint after Alves’ conviction, stated that the presence of the sculpture was a lack of respect for the “value and dignity of women.”
Alves was sentenced in February to four years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a young woman in a Barcelona nightclub. After paying bail of one million euros, he was released from prison at the end of March.
Since its inauguration in 2020, the statue had been the subject of repudiation. At the end of last year, it was covered with a garbage bag and duct tape, and in February it woke up painted white. On March 8, International Women’s Day, several women demonstrated around the statue with signs against rape culture and demanding justice for the victim.
The removal of the statue of Dani Alves marks a new chapter in the history of this controversial footballer, one of the most successful in the world with 43 titles, including two Copa América, two Confederations Cups and an Olympic gold. However, his sexual assault conviction has tarnished his legacy and created deep division in his hometown.
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